Residents Are Pitching In For Spring Cleanup

Deltona

Spruce-up To Begin At Home, Continue With Community

DELTONA - Now is the time for residents to get involved in planning the city's ninth annual cleanup day.

``Spruce Up in the New Millennium'' will take place April 10 through April 15.

Monday through Friday of that week, residents are encouraged to spruce up their yards, paint their houses and plant flowers.

The event will culminate April 17 when volunteers canvass the city, collecting trash.

Organizers are starting to plan for the event now. They are looking for residents who want to clean up a street or another messy area, or volunteer their pickup trucks for hauling garbage or tires.

``It's a chance for people to come out and help clean up the city,'' said Helen Dicks, an organizer.

``When you look at the city afterward, it's always 100 percent better.''

Last year, more than 180 volunteers collected enough trash to fill four dumping bins on the last day of ``Spruce Up'' week. They also collected more than 400 tires.

This year, organizers hope to triple last year's numbers.

Suggested home and yard improvements include mowing grass, planting flowers, cleaning and repairing houses, disposing of leaves and branches, cleaning nearby vacant lots and joining the city's Adopt a Street program

On April 17, anyone available to volunteer is asked go to Wes Crile Park at 8 a.m. Volunteers should wear sturdy, comfortable shoes, gloves, hats and sunblock.

For more information or to volunteer, call City Hall at (407) 860-7160.